Wednesday, December 05, 2007

It’s that time of year when people are scratching their heads trying to come up with gift ideas. Here are some options sure to warm the hearts and fill the bellies of any homesick Texan. And if you're looking for more inspiration, check out my list from last year, which includes how to order Blue Bell ice cream, kolaches and Ro-Tel tomatoes among other delicious Texan treats.

Grapefruit:Everyone knows the juiciest, largest and sweetest ruby red grapefruit comes from the Rio Grande Valley. And while there are many farms that ship, South Tex Organics has a leg up on the competition by being the only grower to not use pesticides. Prices start at $22.00. South Tex Organics

Dr Pepper: Sure, Dr Pepper is widely available, but what you see in the stores is an imposter made with high-fructose corn syrup. Enter Dublin Dr Pepper, a Texas bottler that produces Dr Pepper from the original recipe made with pure Imperial cane sugar. One sip and you’ll never drink that other stuff again. Prices start at $10.00 a case, peanuts not included. Dublin Dr PepperPancakes: It’s an age-old question in Austin, who has the best pancakes—Kerbey Lane or Magnolia? It's a hard choice to make if you're in Austin, but if you live outside the city, that question has been answered: Kerbey Lane now sells pancake mixes in a variety of flavors, including gingerbread and whole wheat apple. Prices start at $5.75. Kerbey Lane

Sausage: You haven’t had sausage until you’ve sunk your teeth into a juicy, spicy Elgin hot gut. My favorite hot-gut producer, Southside Market, brings the taste of the Hill Country into your home as it ships its delectable sausages both fresh and smoked. Prices start at $27.99 for five pounds of fresh sausage, $30.99 for five pounds of smoked. Southside Market

Turkey: A few years ago, some New York City alumni of my college had a gathering. We were all well behaved until the hostess produced a Greenberg’s smoked turkey. Then we all pounced on the bird, eating like fools until there was only a pile of bones. Greenberg—based in Tyler, Texas—is an odd company. They don’t have a toll-free number and they don’t take credit cards. But they sure do know how to smoke a turkey. Turkeys are $3.60 a pound, ranging in size from six to 15 pounds. Greenberg Turkey

Ranch Style Beans: Canned beans may not be something to get excited about, but if you grew up with the smoky, spicy flavor of Ranch Style Beans, you find it’s hard to eat other brands. Guaranteed appetite pleasin’! $1.25 a can or $26.00 for a case. Texmex.net

Corn tortillas: Finding decent corn tortillas outside of the Southwest can be a challenge, but when you have your own tortilla press and a bag of masa harina, whipping up a batch of tortillas is a snap. $17.99 for an iron tortilla press, $5.95 for a 4.4 pound bag of masa harina.

Charitable gifts: We lost some fine women in the past year, but if you want to give a gift in their name here are a couple of options: Keep Texas Beautiful is offering a lovely Christmas ornament in honor of Lady Bird Johnson. The ornament features a bouquet of wildflowers and proceeds from sales of the ornament will help fund projects of KTB affiliates who focus on litter prevention, waste reduction, and community beautification programs. It’s a perfect way to honor a woman who championed tirelessly for the environment. Back here in New York City, the New York Restoration Project, a nonprofit founded by Bette Midler that converts vacant lots into community gardens, is raising funds to create the Ann Richards Memorial Garden. These public spaces created by the project—often found in lower-income neighborhoods—are a source of life and joy to the community. And I just know that Ann Richards, a part-time resident of New York City and an advocate for more green spaces, would approve. Keep Texas Beautiful, New York Restoration Project

Is there something else that should be on this list? Give a holler in the comments!

63 comments:

dannym
said...

don't forget the fruitcakes from collin street bakery...and there are a couple places that will fedex blue bell ice cream, although since it's 29 degrees in newark, i'm just going to buy some at h-e-b when i get to san antonio in a couple weeks. love the blog, by the way.

Carroll Shelby's Chili Kit, I'll honestly admit that his original recipe is the base for my own chili, whether it be made as Texas Red, or Texoma Style with beans and a whole slew of other ingredients.

What a great website. I stumbled upon it truly by accident! I can't wait to find the time to pour over your archives.Another great gift is from Opa's Smoked meats in Fredericksburg, TX. They have the best peppered tenderloin! Serve with a sleeve of soda crackers, a big hunk of cheese, and a six pack of Shiner Bock beer!!! Yum...yummmmm. http://www.opassmokedmeats.comA new fan,Kelly in Sonora, TX

I heartily approve of the Dublin Dr Pepper. We included bottles of these in the gift baskets for the out-of-staters and out-of-country-ers at our wedding. They were addicted and some of them have already ordered their own cases of the website. :)

I'm from Texas and have lived here all of my almost 70 years and love it. I tried to click on the Dublin Dr. Pepper link but it doesn't work. Everytime some of our folks go thur Dublin, they stop and stock up on the drink. I burst out laughing when I saw the Ranch Style Beans....I buy them every week at the store. Then, it dawned on me, people in NY and other places may not have ever had them..I grew up on 'em so it struck me as funny.Thanks for a delightful post.bj

Well, not exactly from Texas, but you can buy them in Texas, and maybe even in NYC: Coca Cola hecho en Mexico. Most are made with real sugar, although they've switched over on some. You have to read the label.

Mmmmmm... I want sausages and Dr Pepper please! That sounds like an awesome combo. I've had those Elgin hot sausages at the Big Apple BBQ and they are truly drool worthy...I hope you get one of everything on this list Lisa! Happy happy!

Lisa,I would add a great little brewery in Texas(hehe), but those darn archaic laws here in TX forbid shipping of beer, but your choices are great. I'd throw in a Grady Spears cookbook(http://www.gradyspears.com/) to go with Mr. Walsh's, and maybe a box set of Fisher Weiser sauces from Fred-burg! Have a great Holiday Season!FM

I LOVE YOU! LOL. I lovelovelovelove grapefruit, especially Texas ruby reds, but we very rarely get organic ones here (although I have seen them). Thank you so much! I try to eat locally, but for this I will make an exception!

Maybe next year you can include some things that are available in nyc that texans may not have found?

For example:Rick's Pick's Pickles has a "Smokra" which is pickled okra with paprika, its a little slimy, but a nice twist on the classic. Sold at whole foods.Wheelhouse Pickles also has Pickled Okra,its funny, they advertise it as "slimeless", but i'd never encountered slimy pickled okra until i came to new york! Also at whole foods.Jack's Dollar stores carry Hot Cheetos.Tethuizingo on 48th and 10 ave carries Mexican Coca Cola which is coca cola with real sugar and many of us in texas would travel to mexico to get it if we couldn't find it at a mexican bakery or central market. Leon's Mexican Produce (and bakery)on 48th and 9th ave has tamales for $1.25/ea. Choose from chicken, cheese, or spicy chicken. They also have wonderful Pan de Juevo.If you ride the L train back and forth from williamsburg to union square you'll eventually run into the churro lady, and you can buy fresh churros from her.Steve & Barry's in the Manhattna Mall sells "Everything is bigger in Texas" t-shirts for $7.

I think a gift basket of all these things would be a lovely gesture and maybe cheaper and easier to acquire for an nyc gift giver.and i can't wait to post your links on my lj!

Don't forget, Albert's Hot Sauce!!!Locally made in Kilgore, Texas. My dad worked with some of these people 30-something years ago, that's when we started enjoying it.You can order it online or find a list of stores that carry it.http://www.janannafoods.com/

Well crud, forgot to tell you that I've tried your cheese enchiladas both ways now, with grated regular cheese and with velveeta. Definitely going to stick with the grated cheese. The sauce is to die for!!! If I'd seen that recipe years ago it would have already been one our our staples, I never even thought of making my own chili gravy! THANK YOU!!!

Shipleys? Have you ever had a Round Rock Donut from Lone Star Bakery?? Little round golden pillows from Heaven!!

Also need to add to this list: fajita meat from the Texas A&M Meat Lab and Lammes Pralines. And Trudy's green hot sauce. If I wasn't homesick already, I certainly am now...oh and Flamin' Hot Limon Cheetos.

I have to tell you too - I was up super late Saturday night working and was absolutely craving a decent tortilla. I found your recipe from several months ago and was rolling tortillas on my North Carolina kitchen counter at 4 am.

And New Canaan Farms Jellies--I remember the first time I tasted their Jalapeno Jelly at their kiosk in NorthCross Mall about a gazillion years ago. It is still a Christmas favorite with club crackers and cream cheese!http://www.shopncf.com/

OK, I know it's not from Texas, but I do miss the sausages, cheeses and crackers that come out in gift hampers at Christmas over there. I guess a rather German thing that the Brits would not do, even though Xmas trees are!

Definitely kolaches, Shipley's donuts,and tamales. The best taco shells in the world come from Ventura's in Victoria, TX. You have never had any like them. You will never again eat store-bought. They also have great tamales. I don't know if they ship, but I get my mom to send me some a few times a year.

Thanks so much for the link to the Dr.Pepper. I have missed the original formula. I was born and raised in Temple.Now live in Wa. state. I can't wait to tastethe Dr Pepper of my childhood. I ordered a case of the bottled. I love your site, it just takes me home to Texas to read about the food. Thanks,another ex-pat. Texan

If you remember...Ranch Style Beans used to be"Husband Pleasin"!!! And my aunt used to pack them in her suitcase and use them when she catered meals to famous New Yorkers on my cousins sailboat(big) that ran out of Battery City.

I know this is eons after the fact, but you can't leave out the Lamme's candy from Austin, TX- I know they've gotta be available online and Rudy's BBQ has some great rubs & sauces for your Texas style BBQ! Enjoy!

How about Wolf Brand Chili and Frito Pie? For authentic Frito Pie, take a small bag of Fritos, cut a slit down the side, pour in chili, grated cheese and onions. Eat it right out of the bag. No Little League baseball game is complete without Frito Pie.

I just happened upon this web site and I love it! Moving from East Texas (Longview) 20 months ago (notice how I keep track!!!!) to Phoenix, AZ I've yet to find the fabulous dining that's found in TX. Tex-Mex is the ONLY Mexican food I like (I've discovered). I deeply miss endless, easy access to Bodacious BBQ, Posados Mexican food, Albert's hot sauce, China Pearl chinese food, Jucy's Hamburgers and so much more. I guess when you're raised on a certain flavor (East Texas flavor) you don't realize how different the other areas of the country are! I love where I live but I am planning a trip just to eat the best cuisine in the country!

Found this blog while looking up tortillas, and I'm thrilled. I missed the kolaches (up here they're fruit pastries), cheese enchiladas and Tex Mex in general, HEB, and the Hibiscus Mint tea that's all over Austin. Been in Indiana for almost 5 years now, and I mostly make do with short trips home, but I have found the tea online. Also, they started selling Shiner here a couple years ago.

So, i found this very randomly! I am an exchange student in Germany. Im from Laredo, deep in the south (border) and YES I MISS DR. PEPPER AND CHILI!! Dr. pepper here is so hard to find, and it doesnt even taste good.. Great site.. Tortillas, HEB, :( los extrano!

I was just looking at some of your older posts and found your mention of Greenberg Smoked Turkey. They now take credit cards(yeah!) so I ordered one for Thanksgiving. I can't wait to give it a taste! Thanks for the suggestion.

Pink peanut patties found at all the gas stations and mini markets. Pepper jerky from the Hill Country. Oh, in Oregon you can find Ranch Style Beans (Husband Pleasin'!) at Super WalMart. :) I have be known to take a suitcase to East Texas when visiting from Oregon and fill it with food, like R.S beans, hot sauce, chow chow and cornbread mix. :) I'm from Galveston. ♥

I can't find David Beard's ( used to be Cox's) hot sauce! The phone at Great American Food Co. In Ore City is disconnected - help! I'm from Tyler/Longview and used to bring it by the cases to Atlanta and Charleston. Now I'm out! Seriously, since leaving Texas in 1995, I have not found good Tex-Mex! Any suggestions from anyone??!!!